Liberty and ACLU issue joint statement on Snowden revelations

"The Guardian's publication of information from Edward Snowden has uncovered a breach of trust by the US and UK Governments on the grandest scale. The newspaper's principled and selective revelations demonstrate our rulers' contempt for personal rights, freedoms and the rule of law.

Across the globe, these disclosures continue to raise fundamental questions about the lack of effective legal protection against the interception of all our communications.

Yet in Britain, that conversation is in danger of being lost beneath self-serving spin and scaremongering, with journalists who dare to question the secret state accused of aiding the enemy.

A balance must of course be struck between security and transparency, but that cannot be achieved whilst the intelligence services and their political masters seek to avoid any scrutiny of, or debate about, their actions.

The Guardian's decision to expose the extent to which our privacy is being violated should be applauded and not condemned."